New Biocube 29 setup and cycling questions

[Sweet7]

Hi everyone! So I have had fresh water tanks for a very long time and have always wanted to try salt water. I finally sprung and bought a new biocube 29 the other day. With some help from a friend who isn't the most experienced but has more than I do, I set up my tank to begin cycling. Just wanted to run a few things by anyone that could help me out and let me know if I'm headed in the right direction or if I'm swinging and missing.

 

The tank:

 

So the first thing I did was take out the bio balls and replace those with two Eshopps square foam filters with a fluval polishing pad on top (takes up half of chamber 2). In the remaining space I added a 1 liter bag of matrix media. Then I replaced the stock sponge between chambers 2 and 3 with a Purigen pad. Added a heater in chamber 1 and a UV sterilizer to chamber 3. Also added a hydor koralia nano 425 power head and 4 white LED strips to the lights in the additional LED slots.

 

I then added natures ocean live sand (30 lbs) and caribsea premix water and let it run for just about 5 days. The salinity was a bit high so I added some RO water to bring to the correct level. Then I added some live rock (33 lbs) that I got from my local fish store (I think it's cured, but I am not 100% sure). This has been running like this for 3 days now. I also noticed that I had a hitch hiker, a small snail, that must have been on the rocks from the store that is moving around all over and seems to be doing well, not sure if that's a good or bad thing that he's in there.

 

So that being said, I am now waiting for the tank to cycle? Any help or advise is welcome. I understand that in this hobby it's all personal preference when it comes to certain things, but when it's come to starting a tank there are some very strict guidelines to follow. I hope I'm set up well, but as I said before, I really have no idea. So anything I can learn would be of great value! Thanks in advance!

[ElmoC]

I would suggest dumping the UV sterilizer. In a tank this size, all they really do is add heat. But you will probably hear a lot on both sides on this one.

 

While your filter setup in chamber 2 is probably okay, most people with the BC29 put an InTank media basket in chamber 2 and run floss, purigen, and chemi-pure. Just leave the area between chamber 2 and 3 open.

[vegasgundog]

I started my 29 bc with the same foam blocks. Every thing I've seen says they are nitrate bombs. I ended up dumping them. I did just what Elmo said, bought inTank media basket and refugium basket for second compartment. Remember to try to be extremely patient with cycling and don't rush adding stuff. I'm not very patient and it killed me to wait.

[Sweet7]

Thanks for the advise!

[Sweet7]

So today was day 7 of cycling and I did my first water test, the picture shows the results, basically got 0 across the board and PH is about 8...what does this mean?

[ElmoC]

Your cycle has not finished. You still have ammonia and your nitrates should be high at the end of the cycle. You probably have 3 more weeks to go.

[Sweet7]

Thanks!